New skills and collaboration are vital for fashion SMEs, writes Judith Tolley, head of creative business incubator the Centre for Fashion Enterprise, as it opens its new business hub

The UK fashion retail sector has faced several years of upheaval – the continued rise of ecommerce, momentous store closures, and declining profits – and the industry has had to adapt at a much faster rate than ever before to remain relevant and weather the storm.

The owner of legendary Lancashire womenswear store Maureen Cookson looks back on her lifetime of achievement in independent retail.

The UK fashion retail sector has faced several years of upheaval – the continued rise of ecommerce, momentous store closures, and declining profits – and the industry has had to adapt at a much faster rate than ever before to remain relevant and weather the storm.

Drapers marks its 132nd anniversary this week, and we’re not the only ones celebrating.

The UK fashion retail sector has faced several years of upheaval – the continued rise of ecommerce, momentous store closures, and declining profits – and the industry has had to adapt at a much faster rate than ever before to remain relevant and weather the storm.

New MD at Net-a-Porter

Yoox Net-a-Porter Group (YNAP) has named Nicola Brandolese the new managing director of Net-a-Porter, alongside four other key appointments.

Brandolese joins from luxury shoe brand Giuseppe Zanotti, where he held the role of CEO. He will assume responsibility for the day-to-day management of Net-a-Porter, its global expansion plans and commercial strategy, and will report to the president of YNAP’s luxury division, Alison Loehnis.

Pete Marsden has also joined the group as chief technology officer, responsible for leading YNAP’s global technology team across London and Bologna. He will focus particularly on mobile, personalisation and artificial intelligence (AI). Marsden has held roles at House of Fraser and Asos, where he launched the business in China and Russia.

Assuming the position of global human resources director is former HR leader at Vodafone Paolo Inga. He will “drive [the group’s] focus on people and organisation during a period of international growth and development”, it said.

Thierry Pichon and Alessia Crivelli have also joined the group in two newly created roles: vice-president of global sales, and customer experience and brand and communications director respectively.

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